Rotary engine.



No. 892,232. 4 PATENTED .I UNE 30, 1908.

l W. L. ELLIS & I'. W. MOQUEEN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

AIPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 10| 1607.

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@9R11 zoom PATEN'IED JUNE 30, 1908.

W. L. ELLIS & E. W. MGQUEEN. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIeE.

WILLIAM L. ELLIS AND FRANCIS W. MCQUEEN, OF SMITHS CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO PATRICK R. DUNIGAN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .Tune 30, 1908.

Application filed September 10, 1907. Serial No. 392,129.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM L. ELLIS and FRANCIS W; MCQUEEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Smiths Creek, in the county of St. Clair and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Inprovements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary engines of the type having a drum with sliding pistons, the said drum and pistons being rotatable in an elliptical easing.

The object of the invention is to provide improved means for operating the pistons to advance or retract the same as the drum rotates, the pistons being connected together in such manner that they balance each other with respect to the centrifugal force or tendency, and are consequently easily operated.

A further object of the invention is to improve the means whereby the steam or Inotive fluid is admitted to the engine, including particularly a device for a variable cutoff, which may be actuated by any suitable governor.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for reversing the direction of rotation of the engine.

With these and other objects in view the invention is hereinafter described and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichu Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section. Fig. 3 is a side view of the drum removed from the casing, and partly broken away to show the interior construction.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates the engine casing, the cavity or hollow of which is elliptical, preferably arranged with its longest diameter vertical. This casing is supported on a base 7. It is provided at the opposite ends with circular rings or 'lianges S, which provide spaces in which the heads 9 of the drum revolve, as hereinafter referred to. The casing is closed at the ends by head plates 9a. The shaft 10 extends through the casing and is mounted and supported upon standards 11 opposite each end of the casing.

The circular drum 12 is located concentrically in the casing, with its surface in working contact with the interior of the casing at the shortest diameter thereof. The drum is provided with heads 12n of greater diameter than the body of the drum, which fit within the rings 8, and it also carries sliding pistons 13 which are four in number, arranged equidistant around the drum. These pistons slide radially between plates 14 which are set in the drum and extend longitudinally between the heads thereof, said heads being slotted radially as indicated at 15, to receive the ends of the pistons and to form guides for the radial movement thereof.

The drum is made hollow, or has a recess at the center of sufficient size to contain the devices whieh connect the several pistons. These devices consist of a ring 16 which is rotatable on the shaft and is connected to each piston by means of links 17. These links are connected at their inner ends to studs 1S which project from the ring 16, the direction of projection being at a right angle to the radial line of the respective pistons, that is, when said pistons are in retracted position. Connection between the links and the pistons is formed by means of studs 19 which project from the pistons through slots 20 in the plates 14 which form the sides of the recesses in which the pistons slide. The connecting links between the ring and the opposite pistons are arranged on opposite sides of thering, whereby the pistons are connected in pairs, and the links connecting the respective pairs cross each other. By this means, a crank motion is formed or produced, whereby when one pair of pistons is advanced the other pair is retracted, and inasmuch as they are all connected together through the medium of the ring, the motion is necessarily simultaneous, and is balanced by the opposite arrangement as described.

The drum and its pistons rotate within the casing and the pistons of the respective pairs are advanced and retracted by contact with the interior surface of the casing. Each end or head of the drum is provided with an annular recess 21 extending around the shaft, and these recesses communicate by ports or passages 22 with the space or expansion chamber within the casing. Each of the recesses 21 receives a circular cut-oil cylinder or shell 23 which fits therein, and is provided with a sleeve 24 within which the shaft 10 rotates, said sleeve extending outwardly beyond the head of the casing and the steam chest, and said sleeve may be connected with any suitable governor whereby it may be turned or operated according to the demands of the engine. The cylinder or shell 23 has ports 25 which normally register with the ports 22 in the drum. By turning the cut-off cylinder, through the means above described, the ports may be opened or closed accordingly, and the supply of steam varied.

The steam or motive fluid is received or supplied through an'annular steam chest 26 located in each head, and this steam chest its over the sleeve 24 and within the cylinder 23, at a snug fit. y Steam is supplied to the cylinder 26 through an inlet pipe 27, on the outside of the head 9a through which the chest extends, and the projecting part of the chest within the shell 23 has. ports 28 which register at each revolution with the ports 22 in the drum.

The parts above described, with respect to the introduction of steam into the casing are duplicated at each end of themachine, the inlet ports 22 from the respective ends being on opposite sides of the pistons, so that the direction of the rotation may be reversed. A single supply pipe may be connected by branches to both steam chests, and provided with a suitable valve to supply steam to one chest and cut off the steam from the other, whereby the engine can be driven in either direction. The course of the steam is through the inlet pipe 27 and into the steam chest 26 and thence through the ports 28, 24 and 22 to the chamber within the casing, Where it acts upon the pistons and causes the rotation of the drum. The exhaust takes place through ports 29 formed in opposite sides of the casing near the shortest diameter thereof. Two air of ports are shown, arranged respective y above and below the diametrical line, so that the exhaust will take place properly when the engine is running in either direction. As shown, the ports open into exhaust valve casings 30 containing valves to open or close the respective ports, according to the direction of rotation. As the drum rotates, its ports 22 register with the ports 28 in the steam chest which are located in the end s of the drum, and therefore at each rotation the motive fluid enters behind the pistons and advances the same. The flow of the steam is through the ports in the cylinder or shell 28, and inasmuch as the relative position of the ports in this cylinder is governed by the action of the governor, the cut-off is varied accordingly. The supply of steam to the expansion chamber occurs as the port 22 passes over the port 28, and ceases as soon as they pass out of register. This gives an automatic opening and closing of the inlet passages, and the use of a lmovable valve and valve gear is unnecessary. The ports are so located that the steam is admitted just after the pistons pass the exhaust ports.

The manner of connecting the pistons together will, it is believed, give a very smooth and easy action and cause them to move in unison without pounding or shock and without friction against the sides of the casing, incident to centrifugal force. The four pistons being placed at right angles in the drum will perfectly adjust or balance themselves, since they are advanced or retracted on opposite sides, thereby distributing the weight at equally distant points from the axis.

It will be seen that the engine takes steam simultaneously at the two opposite sides, the ports 28 being located in the top and bottom of the steam chest, and during the expansion after cut-off, the opposite pistons are both under equal pressure.

We claim 1. In a rotary engine, in combination, a casing, a shaft extending through the same, a drum on the shaft in the casin(T and having an annular recess in the en extending around the shaft, and ports leading from said recess through the drum and to the space Within the casing, and an annular steam chest fixed to the head of the casing and projecting into said recess and having ports which register with said ports as the drum rotates.

2. 1n a rotary engine, in combination, a casing, a shaft exten( ing through the casing, a rotary drum on the shaft in the casing and having an annular recess in the end, extending around the shaft, and ports leading from said recess through the drum and to the space Within the casing, a circular steam chest fixed to the end of the casing and proj ecting into the recess and having ports adapted to register with said ports as the drum rotates, and a cutoff ring located in said recess between the steam chest and the drum and having a port adj ustably registering with said ports.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing, a shaft extending through the same, a drum on the shaft rotatable in the casing and having a circular recess in the end, extending around the shaft, a cutoff cylinder fitting in the recess and having an operating sleeve fitting over the shaft and projecting endwise outside the end of the casing, and a steam chest on-the end of the casing, extending around the shaft and projecting into the saidcylinder, the drum and steam chest having ports which register as the drum rotates, and the cylinder having a port'adjustably registered with the ports in the steam chest.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing, a rotary element therein having inlet ports leading to the expansion space 1n the casing, a circular steam chest fixed to the casing at the axis and having ports in its periphery which register with said ports as the said element is rotated, and a cuto ring located between the said element and the steam chest and havin@r ports which register with said ports, and adapted to be turned to vary the inlet.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing andarotary (Irurn and pistons therein, and having inlet assages extending axiall through both en s of the easing and radially through the drum on opposite sides of the pistons, and exhaust passages in opposite sides of the easing.

6. In a rotary engine,y the combination with a shaft and drum thereon and opposite radially slidable pistons in the drum, of a collar adapted to turn upon the shaft, and a connection between the collar and eaoh piston. v

7. In a rotary engine, the combination of a shaft and druin thereon, two pairs of radially slidable pistons in the drum, the pistons of each pair being op osite, a collar which turns on the shaft, an connections between the Collar and each piston, constructed to produce simultaneous opposite operation of the pistons of the respective pairs.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination of a shaft, a hollow drum thereon, opposite pistons slidable radially in the drum, a loose eollar on the shaft in the hollow of the druin and having studs projecting radially on opposite sides at an angle to t e pistons, and links connecting the studs and the pistons.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. ELLIS. FRANCIS W. MCQUEEN. Witnesses:

CARROL ELLIS, JAMES II. OROURKE. 

